Ore-concentrator



(No Model.)

'0. E. SEYMOUR; ORB GONOENTRATOR.

No. 456,967. Patented Aug. 4, 1891.

j UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES EVARTS SEYMOUR, OF HURLEY, WISCONSIN.

ORE-CONCENTRATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 456,967, dated August4, 1891. Application filed November 7.1890. Serial No. 370,678. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES EVARTS SEY- MOUR, of Hurley, in the countyof Ashland and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Or e'Ooncentrators, of which the following is adescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which area part of this specification;

My invention relates to a device for usein ore-concentration, in whichprocess the ore is separated from the rock or refuse by the action ofcentrifugal force and the attraction of gravitation assisted by water.

The object of my invention is to provide a suitable device by andthrough which centrifugal force and gravity are made to act concurrentlyfor the purpose of separating the ore from the refuse.

my concentrator, the bowl, trough, and a portion of the arbor and framebeing shown in vertical section and other parts being broken away toshow interior construction. Fig. 2 is atop plan view of a fragment ofthe frame and of the track on which. the supportingwheels of the bowltravel, showing also the cams for giving vertical motion to the bowl.Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section of the track shown in Fig. 2.Fig. 4 is a modified form of device for carrying the driving-belt, withmeans for throwing the belt into and out of action and for adjusting itstension.

A is the frame on which the operative portions of the device aresupported. The bowl B is provided with supporting-wheels C C, arrangedto travel 011 a circular track D, fixed on the frame A. The wheels 0 Oare preferably formed with a sharp central periphery adapted to travelin a channel D therefor in the surface of the track D. A number ofinclines or cams E E at equal distances apart are fixed 011 the track Din the line of the travel of the wheels 0 C, which are adaptedsuccessively to raise the bowl B as it rotates as the wheels pass overthem concurrently, the bowl being forced down as the wheels pass off thecams by the action of gravity and by the resilience of a spring,hereinafter to be described. The number of these cams I do not fixdefinitely; but there should be a sufii cient number of them and of suchform as to give the bowlfrequentand rapid verticalmovements as it isrotated horizontally. A hollow shaft or arbor F is fixed rigidlyto thebowl centrallyand projects downwardly therefrom. The arbor is providedwith a band-wheel F, on which a belt G runs to rotate the bowlhorizontally. The belt G runs also on a pulley H, journaled in a yoke I,which yoke travels horizontally in ways therefor in brackets J J, fixedon the frame.

A lever-handle K, pivoted at its lower end to the frame, is pivotedmedially to the yoke I, and is adapted to shift the pulley H toward andfrom the pulley F, whereby the belt G is put into'or released fromfrictional contact with the pulley H, or is made tight or loose on thetwo pulleys, as desired. The handle K is provided with a spring-latch K,arranged to engage adjustably with a bracket J and lock the yoke I andits supported pulleyin position. A driving-belt G also runs on thepulley H to the power-supplying mechanism, which is located at or nearlyat right angles to the line of the belt G, so that the shifting of thepulley H toward and from the shaft F will not materially change thetension of the belt G.

A port in the bottom of. the bowl B opens tending downwardly through theshaft F, and

at its lower end is jointed to the lever-handle O, pivoted medially onthe frame. The joint between the stem N and the lever-handle O is auniversal joint, preferably constructed by a ball N on the end of thestern N, let into a socket 0, formed on the lever-handle O. A cup-shapedhood P, affixed to and surrounding the stem N, covers and protects thejoint from sand or other abrading material. A lifting-spring Q, fixed.on the frame and connected to the lever-handle, lifts the outer end ofthe handle and holds the plug-valve M yieldingly to its seat. A springR, coiled about the shaft F, bearing at its lower end against a collarS, fixed on the shaft, bears at its upper end against a screw-threadedsleevenut T, turning in a block U, fixed in the frame. The spring isadapted to hold the bowl forcibly but yieldingly downward, and itstension is made adjustable by means of the sleeve-nut T. A spring R iscoiled about the shaft F, bearing at its upper end against the hub ofthe pulley L and at its lower end against a screw-threaded sleeve-nut'1", turning in the block U. This spring is intended and adapted tosteady and modify the shock of the downward movement of the bowl causedby gravity and the action of the spring R. Washers V V are preferablyinterposed between the springs R and R and their bearings.

In Fig. 4 I show a modified form of device very simple in construction,which, as the motion of the belts is usually slow, is a satisfactorydevice for supporting the bandwheel in most cases. This device consistsof a lever W, pivoted at its lower end to the frame and carryingrevolubly loose thereon a pulley H, corresponding to the pulley H in thedevice shown in Fig. 1. The belts G and G run thereon. This lever-handleW is .so pivoted or hinged on the frame as to its upper edge is adaptedto catch the overflow from the bowl and discharge it through the pipe Z.

The operation of my improved concentrator is that when the bowl issupplied with a mass of pulverized ore or pulps and a supply of waterand is revolved with proper rapidity the concentrates in the ore will,by the combined action of the centrifugal force and gravity, begradually separated from the ore and will settle at the center in thebottom of the bowl, from which, when the bowl isstopped, theconcentrates may be withdrawn by raising the plug-valve and allowingthem to pass through the hollow shaft downwardly into a receivertherefor. The refuse material with a portion of the water will, by thecentrifugal force, be carried over the edge of the bowl into the troughand discharged therefrom. The shaft F passes through and has ajournal-bearing in the block U.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an ore-concentrator, a bowl and supporting-wheels arranged atequal distances apart affixed thereto on the under side thereof, incombination with a circular track on which the wheels on the bowltravel, a series to raise the bowl and let it drop, in combination witha shaft 'aiii'xed to the bowl centrally on the under side and,projecting downwardly therefrom, and springs coiled about the shaft,below the bowl and bearin g in opposite direc:

tions against collars rigid on the shaft and in the reverse directionsagainst a fixed support, and means for rotating the bowl, substantiallyas described.

3. The combination, with a bowl-shaped ore receptacle provided withsupportingwheels on which it travels rotatably horizontally, of a hollowshaft fixed to the bowl centrally and extending downwardly therefrom, aport in the bottom of the bowl, opening into the shaft, providing adischarging passage through the shaft from the bottom of the bowl, and aplug-valve arranged to close the port in the bottom of the bowl, theplug-valve being provided with a stem which passes down through theshaft, and means for ra1s1ng the valve and holding it yieldingly to itsseat, substantially as described.

, 4. The combination, with a bowl-shaped ore-receptacle havingsupporting-wheelsat equal distances apart affixed thereto, on which itrevolves horizontally, a circular track and cams thereon registeringwiththewheels of the bowl, and over which the wheels travel, of a hollowshaft affixed to the bowl centrally and extending downwardly therefrom,the bowl having a port in its bottom opening into the shaft, aplug-valve normally closing the port in the bottom of the bowl, and aspring-acttr ated lever-handle pivoted on the frame and connected by auniversal joint to the downwardly-extending stem of the valve, wherebythe valve is held yieldingly to its seat and may be raised therefrom,substantially as described.

5. Thecornbination, with a revolving concentrator-bowl and a pulley onits shaft, of a pulley at a distance therefrom supported 011 movablemechanism shiftable toward and from the bowl-shaft, a belt running onthe bowl-shaft and on the pulley in the shiftable mechanism, and anotherbelt running on the pulley in the shiftable mechanism and onthepower-supplying pulley located at right angles to the former belt,substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the revolving bowl of a concentrator and apulley on its vertical shaft, of a pulleyin a sliding yoke at a distancefrom the shaft of the concentrator,

IIO

the yoke sliding in ways toward and from the In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in shaft of the bowl, a belt running on thepulpresence of two witnesses.

ley fixed on the shaft of the bowl and onthe 1 pulley in the yoke, and alever pivoted to the CHARLES EVARTD SEX MOUR' 5 frame and to the yokefor shifting the yoke \Vitnesses:

toward and from the shaft of the bowl, sub- GEO. C. FOSTER,

stantially as described. 0. H. MUNGER.

